RESEARCH PAPER SERIES, 2020–21              30 July 2020

COVID-19 and Indigenous Australians: a chronology[1]

Matthew Keene

Social Policy Section

This paper is a timeline of key events in relation to COVID-19 and Indigenous Australians from 1 January to 31 May 2020. There is an introductory note on health outcomes and population distribution to give context to the vulnerable situation of many Indigenous Australians and government and other responses during this period.

Introduction

According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, as a group, ‘Indigenous Australians experience widespread socioeconomic disadvantage and health inequality’.[2] For example, compared with non-Indigenous Australians, Indigenous Australians have shorter than average life expectancy (around 10 years shorter for males and 9 years for females), are 1.7 times as likely to have a disability or restrictive long-term health condition, 2.7 times as likely to smoke, 2.1 times as likely to die before their fifth birthday, and 2.7 times as likely to experience high or very high levels of psychological distress.[3] In addition, in 2018–19 46% of Indigenous Australians had at least one chronic condition that posed a significant health problem.[4]

The Australian Government funds Indigenous-specific primary health care largely via Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs). Other Indigenous-specific health initiatives funded by the Australian Government include research, immunisation, Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme initiatives, health workforce strategies and substance abuse programs.[5] State and territory governments are generally responsible for running public hospitals, preventative health services, community mental health services, and ambulance and emergency services.[6]

Indigenous Australians comprise 3.3% of the total Australian population.[7] In terms of population distribution across the country, approximately one-third of Indigenous people live in major cities compared with around three quarters of the non-Indigenous population. The distribution across inner regional centres is similar for Indigenous and non-Indigenous people, however for outer regional areas, 20% of Indigenous people reside here compared with just 8% of the non-Indigenous population. For remote areas, the figures are 6.7% Indigenous and 1% non-Indigenous. In very remote areas, the difference is marked with 11.9% of the Indigenous population living here compared with just 0.5% of all non-Indigenous people.[8]

Table 1: Population distribution by Indigenous status[9]

% of total population

Major cities

Inner regional

Outer regional

Remote

Very remote

Indigenous

37.4

23.7

20.3

6.7

11.9

Non-Indigenous

72.7

17.8

8.0

1.0

0.5

Due to the poor health outcomes experienced by Indigenous Australians generally and during one of the most recent influenza pandemics,[10] because large portions of the population live outside major centres where access to services are limited, and as the Indigenous population is highly mobile with communities having a high flow of visitors, Indigenous Australians are identified as an at-risk group in the Australian health sector emergency response plan for novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and have a subsequent management plan.[11]

Particular concern exists for remote communities where health and socioeconomic outcomes are known to be particularly poor. Exacerbating issues include poor access to services, insecure food and essential supply chains, and inadequate housing stock resulting in overcrowding. Moreover, the interconnected nature of Indigenous populations in remote communities where kinship ties and their obligations extend to a wide cross-section of the community (and other communities) makes social distancing and isolating culturally problematic. At the date of publication, there had been no outbreaks of COVID-19 in remote Indigenous communities.[12]

Key events

The following contains a timeline of key events in relation to COVID-19 and Indigenous Australians from January until the end of May 2020. For context, other select events and activities relating to the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia have also been provided.[13]

Milestones

Details

Source Documents

January

Apunipima Cape York Health Council reportedly begins developing a response to a possible outbreak.

A McQuire, ‘Aboriginal community health’s success with Covid-19’, The Saturday Paper, 298, April 25–May 1, 2020

13 January

First confirmed case of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Australia.

Department of Health, ‘2019-nCoV acute respiratory disease, Australia Epidemiology Report 1, 2019-nCoV acute respiratory disease’, Communicable Diseases Intelligence, 44, 2020

February

Northern Territory Land Councils produce messages in Aboriginal languages about COVID-19.

Northern Territory government, ’Messages in language’, Coronavirus (COVID-19) webpage, accessed 12 May 2020

25 February

Australian Government activates the Emergency Response Plan for Communicable Disease Incidents of National Significance: National Arrangements.

Department of Health, Emergency Response Plan for Communicable Disease Incidents of National Significance: National Arrangements, May 2018, accessed 12 May 2020

March

The National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) convenes the COVID-19 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Group in early March.

NACCHO, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Group communique 10 March 2020,  accessed 12 May 2020

Remote communities take action to close their own borders including the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands and some Cape York and Western Australian communities.

A McQuire, ‘Aboriginal community health’s success with Covid-19’, The Saturday Paper, 298, April 25–May 1, 2020

2 March

First case of community transmission in Australia.

G Hunt (Minister for Health) and B Murphy (Chief Medical Officer), Update on COVID-19 in Australia – Community Transmission, joint statement, 2 March 2020

5 March

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Group on COVID-19 established, co-chaired by the Department of Health and the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation.

L de Toca, Australian Government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Senate Select Committee on COVID-19, 13 May 2020, p. 25

11 March

Australian government announces $2.4 billion health package to address COVID-19.

S Morrison (Prime Minister), G Hunt (Minister for Health), R Colbeck (Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians), $2.4 Billion Health Plan to Fight COVID-19, joint media release, 11 March 2020.

13 March

Urgent calls from the Aboriginal health sector for more resources to protect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities from COVID-19.

C Mackinolty, ‘Urgent calls for more resources to protect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities from COVID-19’, Croaky website, 13 March 2020

14 March

Northern Land Council (NLC) suspends all permits for non-essential travel on Aboriginal land in the northern half of mainland Northern Territory (roughly Darwin to Elliot).

NLC, The NLC announces suspension of all permits to enter Aboriginal land for non-essential travel, media release, 14 March 2020

15 March

First National Cabinet on coronavirus held. Measures announced include a self-isolation requirement on all international arrivals; ban cruise ships from foreign ports from arriving at Australian ports; and additional social distancing requirements such as a ban on non-essential gatherings of more than 500 people.

S Morrison (Prime Minister), Transcript of Press Conference, Sydney NSW, 15 March 2020

16 March

Central Land Council (CLC) calls for cancelling of all non-essential travel to remote communities in its region (southern half of the Northern Territory, roughly Tennant Creek to SA border).

CLC, Cancel all non-essential travel to remote communities, media release, 16 March 2020

18 March

Central Land Council (CLC) calls for suspension of the government’s work-for-the-dole scheme (Community Development Program) and cancels mineral exploration and tourism permits in its region.

CLC, CLC calls for suspension of work-for-the-dole scheme, cancels exploration and tourism permits and Aboriginal corporation meetings, media release, 18 March 2020

Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory (AMSANT) calls for stronger measures by the government to reduce the risk of the spread of COVID-19 to Aboriginal communities by staff and non-essential service providers. AMSANT also called for the suspension of participation requirements of the Community Development Program. AMSANT said it called for these measures partly in response to a letter from the National Indigenous Australians Agency regarding funding under its Indigenous Advancement Strategy (IAS) which expressed that IAS-funded activities should continue to the fullest extent possible.

AMSANT, Aboriginal medical service demands urgent change to work-for-dole rules to reduce coronavirus risk, media release, 18 March 2020

Second National Cabinet on coronavirus announces additional measures including a ban on non-essential indoor gatherings of greater than 100 people; further restrictions on outdoor gatherings; and enhanced arrangements to protect older Australians in Residential Aged Care Facilities.

S Morrison (Prime Minister), Update on coronavirus measures, media statement, 18 March 2020

20 March

Minister for Indigenous Australians Ken Wyatt announces that the National Cabinet has given in-principle approval for the Health minister to take action under the Commonwealth Biosecurity Act 2015 pursuant to restricting access to remote communities.

K Wyatt (Minister for Indigenous Australians), Reducing the spread of COVID-19 to Indigenous communities, media statement, 20 March 2020

Northern Territory government reports two coronavirus cases in Darwin bringing the NT total to three.

Department of the Chief Minister, Northern Territory coronavirus (COVID-19) update, media release, 20 March 2020

In a release by Aboriginal Peak Organisations Northern Territory (APONT), Aboriginal leaders call on the Northern Territory government to declare the Northern Territory and adjoining remote areas of South Australia and Western Australia a special controlled area to protect Aboriginal communities.

APONT, NT Aboriginal leadership demands virus special control area now, media release 20 March 2020

Tasmania implements border restrictions.

P Gutwein (Premier), Nation leading border restrictions to protect Tasmanians, media release, 19 March 2020

23 March

The rate of the main Australian Government unemployment payment, JobSeeker Payment, is temporarily increased through the $550 per fortnight Coronavirus Supplement, as are a number of other social security payment rates including the ABSTUDY Living Allowance. The supplement is scheduled to be paid from 27 April until 24 September 2020.

The Treasury, ‘Increased income support’, Economic Response to the Coronavirus, Treasury website, accessed 1 June 2020[14]

24 March

Northern Territory government announces it will be putting forward its Emergency Legislation Amendment Bill 2020 which will amend the Public and Environmental Health Act 2011 to increase the allowable duration of public health emergencies from five to 90 days. The Bill also amends the Information Act 2002 to allow government agencies to collect and share information. NT government also implements border restrictions.

N Fyles (Leader of Government Business), Parliamentary Review: emergency legislation to protect Territorians, media release, 24 March 2020

Western Australia and South Australia implement border restrictions.

ABC, ‘Western Australia, South Australia to close borders in response to coronavirus pandemic’, ABC News website, 22 March 2020

25 March

Queensland implements border restrictions.

A Palaszczuk (Premier), Border control slows virus spread, media statement, 24 March 2020.

New South Wales government amends Crimes (Administration of Sentences) Act 1993 to allow for early and temporary release of vulnerable inmates, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and low risk offenders from prisons and youth detention facilities.[15]

NSW government, COVID-19 emergency laws introduced to parliament to boost community safety, media release, 24 March 2020

Australian government announces 45 flexible grants to help Indigenous communities protect themselves against COVID-19. The grant package is part of the broader health funding of $2.4 billion to fight the coronavirus. This includes $6.9 million through the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation, its sector support organisations and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Health Services to coordinate the COVID-19 response.

G Hunt (Minister for Health) and K Wyatt (Minister for Indigenous Australians), Government backs remote communities with COVID-19 support, Joint Media Release, 25 March 2020

26 March

Remote area travel restrictions commence at 11:59pm. Notably pastoral leases in the NT, which comprise 44% of the NT land mass, are excluded.

G Hunt (Minister for Health) and K Wyatt (Minister for Indigenous Australians), Travel restrictions for remote areas commence tonight, media release, 26 March 2020

27 March

Australian Medical Association (AMA) calls on the National Cabinet to ‘urgently fund and resource Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander health services to ensure they can respond to COVID-19’.

AMA, The health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people must be a priority in COVID-19 response, media release, 27 March 2020

29 March

Department of Health weekly epidemiology report for the week ending 29 March shows 27 cases (0.6% of total cases) reported in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons since the start of the outbreak. The majority of these cases are from major cities.

Department of Health, ‘COVID-19, Australia: Epidemiology Report 9’, Communicable Diseases Intelligence, 44, 2020

30 March

Standing Committee on Indigenous Affairs temporarily suspends its inquiry into Pathways and participation opportunities for Indigenous Australians in employment and business due to COVID-19.

J Leeser (Chair of Standing Committee on Indigenous Affairs), Indigenous opportunity inquiry is on hold, media release, 30 March 2020

JobKeeper wage subsidy scheme is announced.

S Morrison (Prime Minister) and J Frydenberg (Treasurer), $130 billion jobkeeper payment to keep Australians in a job, media release, 30 March 2020[16]

National Cabinet announces reductions to public gatherings to two people; that people should leave their homes only to shop for essentials, to travel to work or education or to receive medical care; a 6 month ban on rental evictions, and that a number of businesses including gyms, pubs and cinemas should close.

Australian Government, Key coronavirus updates archived by day, 25 March, AG website, accessed 12 May 2020

Management Plan for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Populations published by the Department of Health. This is intended to support the objectives of the Australian Health Sector Emergency Response Plan for Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) by focusing on ‘culturally appropriate testing and care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and for specific locations including remote communities’.

Department of Health (DoH), Management Plan for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Populations, DoH, Canberra, March 2020

April

Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research (CAEPR) at the Australian National University (ANU) release the paper, Indigenous Australians and the COVID-19 crisis: Perspectives on public policy. The paper includes chapters on Indigenous incomes, employment, self-determination, domestic violence, health workforce, schools, energy security and a post-crisis policy response.

F Markham, D Smith and F Morphy, ‘Indigenous Australians and the COVID-19 crisis: perspectives on public policy’, CAEPR, (1), April 2020

Group of Eight universities releases its Roadmap to Recovery report, which in relation to Indigenous people highlights the need to address overcrowding in housing and local provision of services, among other things.

Group of Eight (Go8) Australia, Roadmap to recovery – a report for the nation, Go8, April 2020

Temporary changes to the Community Development Program including the suspension of face-to-face activities, provision of monthly set payments provided in lieu of participation activities, and lifting of any suspensions and penalties and an increase in rate of payment in line with Jobseeker.

National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA), Coronavirus (Covid-19) support measures: service providers and businesses, NIAA website, accessed 13 May 2020

2 April

In response to state and territory governments issuing fines for people not practicing social distancing, Amnesty International issued a media release criticising the $1,600 fine regime saying that this will disproportionally target Indigenous people who already suffer poor socioeconomic outcomes and are over-represented in prisons.

Amnesty International Australia, Measures designed to protect push Indigenous people further to the margins, media quote, 2 April 2020

Western Australian government announces restrictions on travel within the Kimberley region, following confirmation of a number of positive COVID-19 cases. Kimberley residents urged to stay within their local government boundary.

M McGowan (Premier), Stronger restrictions in place to protect Kimberley residents from COVID-19, media statement, 2 April 2020

Central Land Council (CLC) warns of food security issues in remote communities and that residents may leave communities to travel to regional centres for goods. The CLC calls on the government to act on matters such as price gouging and to provide freight subsidies and supply guarantees for remote stores. The CLC also expressed ‘surprise’ and ‘dismay’ over the exempting of pastoral leases from travel restrictions under the Biosecurity Act measures. The total NT pastoral estate is 44 per cent of the NT land mass.

CLC, Food security alert: remote communities will defy stay home orders, CLC media release, 2 April 2020.

Minister for Indigenous Australians, Ken Wyatt, announces $123 million over two years to support Indigenous communities and businesses in their responses to COVID-19. This includes:

–      $10 million from the Aboriginals Benefit Account to the four Northern Territory Land Councils for immediate needs and expenses associated with people returning to homelands, people who may be required to self-isolate and to deal with the remote travel restrictions.

–      $10 million to Community Night Patrol to assist in ensuring community safety including support to providers to expand or alter current services in relation to travel restrictions and social distancing requirements.

–      $23 million from the Indigenous Advancement Strategy to enhance Indigenous social programs whose delivery is impacted by COVID-19.

–      $5 million from the Indigenous Advancement Strategy to expand the delivery of school nutrition projects to continue through pupil-free days and school holidays, to accommodate the higher costs in relation to COVID-19, and to expand the program to other vulnerable members of the remote Indigenous communities.

–      $50 million available via Indigenous Business Australia to help businesses including loans and support services for example in relation to administering JobKeeper.

–      $25 million through the Indigenous Advancement Strategy for an employment initiative targeted at regions and industries facing labour shortfalls as a result of COVID-19.

K Wyatt (Minister for Indigenous Australians), $123 million boost to Indigenous response to COVID-19, media release, 2 April 2020

3 April

Queensland government restricts access through its borders to Queensland residents and exempt persons only.

Queensland Government, ‘Queensland border closure’, Unite & recover website, accessed 13 May 2020

5 April

Ken Wyatt announces $234,500 in funding for First Nations Media Australia to carry the message about COVID-19 to Indigenous communities.

K Wyatt (Minister for Indigenous Australians), Additional funding to get accurate information to Indigenous Australians, media release, 5 April 2020

6 April

Western Australia border closure commences.

Department of the Premier and Cabinet, COVID-19 coronavirus: WA border closure, Government  of WA website, accessed 13 May 2020

8 April

Ken Wyatt hosts a meeting with the NT Chief Minister and representatives from the Arnhem Land Progress Association, Islanders Board of Industry and Service, Outback Stores, Coles, Woolworths and Metcash to discuss supply of essential goods including groceries to remote communities.

K Wyatt (Minister for Indigenous Australians), Securing the essentials for remote communities, media statement, 8 April 2020

Northern Territory Minister for Education, Selena Uibo announces school holiday incentives for remote teachers to remain in community, comprised of a one-off payment of $500 and an extra day’s leave.

S Uibo (Minister for Education), School holiday incentives for remote teachers to remain in community, media statement, 8 April 2020.

Technical amendments made to the Biosecurity Act.

Biosecurity (Human Biosecurity Emergency) (Human Coronavirus with Pandemic Potential) (Emergency Requirements for Remote Communities) Determination 2020

Australian Capital Territory government amends legislation to allow for early release of prisoners to help stop the spread of COVID-19 in correctional facilities.

Corrections Management Act 2007 (ACT)

9 April

Western Australian government places on hold consultation process for its Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Bill due to COVID-19.

B Wyatt (Aboriginal Affairs Minister), Timeframe amended for new Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Bill due to COVID-19, media release, 9 April 2020

Northern Territory government amends delivery of youth services to limit face-to-face contact in lead up to school holidays.

D Wakefield (Minister for Territory Families), Innovation for the Territory's youth services in COVID-19 times, media statement, 9 April 2020

10 April

Queensland government announces that they have supported freight drops for regional and remote areas to help secure supply in the lead up to the Easter long weekend.

A Palaszczuk (Premier) and C Dick (Minister for Trade), Easter supplies bound for Queensland rural and remote communities, media statement, 10 April 2020

15 April

Australian Labor Party ministers and shadow ministers hold first joint meeting to discuss COVID-19 and Indigenous Australians.

L Burney, W Snowdon, P Dodson and M McCarthy, COVID-19 cannot be excuse to let First Nations issues fall by the wayside, transcript, 15 April 2020

16 April

Australian Government announces $3.3 million for its Remote Point of Care Testing Program for remote and rural Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Under the program testing times are expected to be reduced to around 45 minutes.

G Hunt (Minister for Health), K Wyatt (Minister for Indigenous Australians) and M Coulton (Minister for Regional Health), Rapid COVID-19 testing to protect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, media release, 16 April 2020

17 April

Central Australian Health Service in Alice Springs establishes the Ross facility in Alice Springs for Aboriginal people with COVID-19 who don’t require hospitalisation, to isolate from the general community.

Department of Health (NT), The Ross opens in Alice Springs, media release, 17 April 2020

20 April

Coalition of 13 Aboriginal organisations in the Northern Territory call on the national cabinet to guarantee the supply of affordable food and other basics in locked-down remote communities.

AMSANT, "No more time to waste": Aboriginal leaders demand a guarantee of affordable goods for remote communities now, media release, 20 April 2020

21 April

Federal Labor parliamentarians’ warn that a lack of affordable basic goods and essential items could force people to leave remote communities and undermine isolation measures; and notes that overcrowding in remote communities limits people’s ability to self-isolate.

L Burney (Shadow Minister for Indigenous Australians), W Snowdon (Senator for the Northern Territory), P Dodson (Senator for Western Australia) and M McCarthy (Senator for the Northern Territory) , Lack of affordable basics in remote Aboriginal communities undermines COVID-19 response, media release 21 April 2020

24 April

Amendment to the Biosecurity Act (Cth) takes effect. The amendment removes from the designated areas where travel is restricted, those areas containing communities adjacent to the townships of Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, Katherine and Mataranka.

Biosecurity (Human Biosecurity Emergency) (Human Coronavirus with Pandemic Potential) (Emergency Requirements for Remote Communities) Determination 2020

Under the COVID-19 Relief and Recovery Fund an additional $7 million is made available through the Indigenous Visual Arts Industry Support (IVAIS) Program. Payments of up to $85,000 to Indigenous art centres and $70,000 to Indigenous art fairs are being provided to maintain operations and employment levels.

Australian government, COVID-19 Relief and Recovery Fund, fact sheet, 24 April 2020

26 April

Department of Health weekly epidemiology report for the week ending 26 April notes an increase of 25 cases of COVID-19 in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons, bringing  total cases to 52 (0.8% of all cases) . The majority of these cases are from major cities with none from remote areas.

Department of Health, ‘COVID-19, Australia: Epidemiology Report 13’, Communicable Diseases Intelligence, 44, 26 April 2020

30 April

Northern Territory government announces a staged approach to easing restrictions under its Roadmap to the new normal. No changes are made regarding remote community restrictions, which are set to expire on 18 June.

M Gunner (Chief Minister), The Territory's roadmap to the new normal, media statement, 30 April 2020

May

1 May

Prime Minister in his update to the National Cabinet meeting outlines the conditions required to facilitate easing of restrictions and provides a copy of the Australian Health Principle Protection Committee’s status of precedent conditions.

S Morrison (Prime Minister), Update on coronavirus measures, statement, 1 May 2020

Greens Senator Rachel Siewert calls on the Minister for Indigenous Australians to act to ensure food security in remote communities, saying she has heard accounts of scarcity and high prices in remote communities.

R Siewert (Senator for Western Australia), Minister must urgently act to ensure food security in remote communities, media release, 1 May 2020

3 May

Department of Health weekly epidemiology report for the week ending 3 May showed an increase of three cases of COVID-19 in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons, bringing total cases to 55 (0.8% of all cases). None of these cases were from remote areas.

Department of Health, ‘COVID-19, Australia: Epidemiology Report 14’, Communicable Diseases Intelligence, 44, 3 May 2020

8 May

Prime Minister announces National Cabinet’s three step plan for easing restrictions.

S Morrison (Prime Minister), Update on coronavirus measures, statement, 8 May 2020

11 May

Australian Capital Territory government allocates $580,000 to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations and services to support them during the COVID-19 pandemic.

R Stephen-Smith (Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs), Supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations to respond to COVID-19, media release, 11 May 2020

13 May

AMA calls for an increase in funding for Indigenous people commensurate with their relatively poor health outcomes:

Given Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples comprise three per cent of the total population, and the burden of disease is 2.3 times higher than non-Indigenous Australians, it is reasonable for a benchmark amount of around seven per cent of total COVID-19 health funding be earmarked [for] Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

AMA, Greater support needed to protect the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people beyond COVID-19 pandemic, media release, 13 May 2020

In a Ministerial Statement, the Minister for Health, Greg Hunt, says that GP respiratory clinics have been established in up to 15 Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services, and up to 83 rapid COVID-19 point-of-care testing programs for remote and rural Indigenous communities will be implemented.

G Hunt (Minister for Health), Australia’s COVID-19 health response,, Ministerial Statement, 13 May 2020

15 May

Human biosecurity emergency period under the Biosecurity Act is extended by three months to 17 September 2020. It does not mean that remote travel restrictions must be extended to this date; only that they can be.

Biosecurity (Human Biosecurity Emergency) (Human Coronavirus with Pandemic Potential) Declaration 2020

National Cabinet agrees to a framework to inform decisions regarding lifting travel restrictions in remote areas.

S Morrison (Prime Minister), Update on coronavirus measures, statement, 15 May 2020.

$29.5 million (part of broader $41.8m mental health initiative) announced by the Health minister for mental health outreach to vulnerable communities including Indigenous communities.

S Morrison, Press conference, Transcript, 15 May 2020

17 May

Department of Health weekly epidemiology report for the week ending 17 May showed an increase of four cases to 59 cases (0.8%) reported in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons since the start of the outbreak. None of these cases were from remote areas.

Department of Health, ‘COVID-19, Australia: Epidemiology Report 16’, Communicable Diseases Intelligence, 44, 17 May 2020

25 May

Western Australian government announces $1.5 million funding to support artists during COVID-19 including $525,000 for Aboriginal artists through a targeted acquisition program to purchase existing works.

D Templeman (Minister for Culture and the Arts), Support for WA artists through $1.5 million COVID support program, media statement, 25 May 2020

26 May

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO), the Lowitja Institute, and The Australian National University announce they are working together to provide advice for primary healthcare teams supporting prevention and management of COVID-19 for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

NACCHO, Supporting prevention and management of COVID-19 for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, NACCHO website, 26 May 2020

Health minister announces that Northern Territory remote travel restrictions will be lifted on 5 June.

G Hunt (Minister for Health) and S McMahon (Senator for the Northern Territory), Remote travel restrictions lifted in the Northern Territory, joint media release, 26 May 2020

27 May

Change the Record release report examining the impact of COVID-19 policies on First Nations communities in the areas of policing, prisons, family violence, child protection and access to justice.

S Trevitt, Critical Condition - the impact of Covid-19 policies, policing and prisons on First Nations communities, Change the Record website, 27 May 2020

28 May

Queensland government announces it has invested $21 million to support the health and wellbeing of First Nations Queenslanders and communities during COVID-19.

S Miles (Minister for Health), Major funding boost for First Nations COVID-19 response, media statement, 28 May 2020

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[1].               The term ‘Indigenous Australians’ is used here noting that the terms ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’ and ‘First Nations people’ are also used to describe the original inhabitants of the continent now known as Australia.

[2].               Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), ‘Australia’s health 2018: in brief’, 20 June 201, AIHW website, accessed 14 May 2020.

[3].               Ibid.

[4].               Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health survey, 2018–19, cat. no. 4715.0, ABS, Canberra, 11 December 2019, accessed 14 May 2020.

[5].               Department of Health (DoH), ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health’, DoH website, accessed 14 May 2020.

[6].               A Biggs and L Cook, Health in Australia: a quick guide, Research Paper, 2018–19, Parliamentary Library, Canberra, 31 August, 2018, accessed 14 May 2020.

[7].               ABS, Estimates of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, June 2016, cat.no. 3238.0.55.01, ABS, Canberra, 18 September 2018, accessed 14 May 2020.

[8].               Ibid.

[9].               Ibid.

[10].               In the 2009 Influenza A H1N1 pandemic (Swine flu) the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander hospitalisation rate was eight times that of the general population, see  K Crooks, D Casey and J Ward, ‘First Nations people leading the way in COVID-19 pandemic planning, response and management’, The Medical Journal of Australia, 29 April 2020, accessed 14 May 2020.

[11].               Department of Health (DoH), Management Plan for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Populations, DoH website, 16 July 2020, accessed 19 May 2020.

[12].               There have been outbreaks in townships which contain proportionately high Indigenous populations notably Broome, Halls Creek and Kununurra in the Kimberley, see S Tomlin and V Mills, Mystery transmission highlights concerns over COVID-19 complacency in the Kimberley, ABC News website, 12 May 2020, accessed 1 June 2020.

[13].               For additional information on the government response generally see the Parliament Library’s COVID-19 publications and resources webpage.

[14].               See also M Klapdor, ‘COVID-19 Economic response—social security measures part 1: temporary supplement and improved access to income support’, Flagpost, Parliamentary Library blog, 23 March 2020.

[15].               Other jurisdictions may be addressing the issue via sentencing.

[16].               See also D Arthur, COVID-19 Economic response—wage subsidies aim to put workplaces into hibernation, Flagpost, Parliamentary Library blog, 6 April 2020.